App Launch Marketing Plan for Indie Devs: Pre-Launch to Week 4

Updated Oct 10, 2026

On this page (7 sections)

1. Quick answer
2. Pre-launch: listing, keywords, pre-orders, waitlist
3. Launch week: channels and timing
4. Weeks 2–4: ratings, iteration, ads tests
5. Free channels for indie devs
6. What to measure each week
7. FAQ

A good indie app launch marketing plan has three phases. Before launch, polish your product page, choose keywords and build a waitlist. In launch week, announce in the communities where your users already are, all within a few days. In weeks two to four, earn ratings, fix what users report, update metadata and test small ads. Most of it costs nothing but time.

Quick answer

How do I market a new app with no budget?

Focus on free channels where your audience already gathers: relevant subreddits and forums, X and other social platforms, your own email waitlist, and communities like Product Hunt. Pair that with solid ASO: a clear name and subtitle, long-tail keywords and strong screenshots. Then ask happy users for ratings at the right moment.

Pre-launch: listing, keywords, pre-orders, waitlist

What should I do before launching an app?

Finish your product page, pick keywords and collect interested people. Write a clear name and subtitle, design screenshots that show the main benefit in the first two frames, fill the keyword field, and set up analytics. Build an email or social waitlist, and consider an App Store pre-order so early fans can commit before launch day.

Pre-launch checklist (two to six weeks out):

• Product page: name, subtitle, first three screenshots, preview video if you have one. See the product page audit and experimentation plan.
• Keywords: long-tail first. See long-tail keywords for new iOS apps and free ASO keyword research.
• Pre-order (optional): list the app for pre-order in App Store Connect.
• Waitlist: a simple landing page with an email signup, linked from your social profiles.
• Build in public: share progress, screenshots and decisions in the communities you plan to launch in. Be a member before you're a marketer.
• Press and creator list: a short list of newsletters, bloggers and creators who cover your niche, with a one-paragraph pitch and a press kit (icon, screenshots, short description).
• Measurement: App Store Connect analytics, and subscription tracking (for example RevenueCat) if you sell subscriptions.
• Rating prompt: wired up to trigger after a success moment, not on first launch.

For fundamentals, see the free ASO Fundamentals course.

Launch week: channels and timing

Concentrate announcements into a few days so early downloads, ratings and conversation overlap.

Ship a quick bug-fix update in launch week if needed. Early users forgive bugs that get fixed fast.

Weeks 2–4: ratings, iteration, ads tests

How do I get my first app reviews?

Ask at the right moment and make it easy. Use Apple's rating prompt (SKStoreReviewController) after a user completes something meaningful, not on first launch. Apple allows the prompt up to three times in a 365-day period. Reply to early reviews in App Store Connect, and invite waitlist users and beta testers to rate the live app.

Source: Apple: Creating your product page. Timing advice: iOS rating prompts: what the data says. Never offer rewards for ratings; Apple doesn't allow it.

Weeks two to four:

• Week 2: read every review and support message. Fix the top complaint. Update screenshots if users misunderstand what the app does.
• Week 3: release an update with keyword and subtitle tweaks based on what you've learned. Promotional text can change any time without a release.
• Week 4: if conversion from search looks healthy, try a small Apple Ads test on brand and a few exact match category terms. See Apple Search Ads on a small budget and the free Apple Search Ads Basics course.

Free channels for indie devs

• Your own audience: email waitlist, social accounts, personal network
• Communities: niche subreddits, Discord servers, forums, Slack groups (read the rules first)
• Launch platforms: Product Hunt and similar sites
• Content: short demo videos, a "how I built it" post, tutorials that solve your user's problem
• Creators and newsletters in your niche
• App Store itself: ASO, in-app events and promotional text
• Cross-promotion: if you have multiple iOS apps, promote the new one inside your other apps

What to measure each week

More on this in tracking app growth from downloads to revenue.

GROWNX pulls your App Store Connect and RevenueCat data into one free-to-start dashboard, so you can see whether your keyword, metadata and paywall changes actually move revenue. Free plan available.

FAQ

Should I use pre-orders on iOS?

They can help if you already have an audience to send to the pre-order link, because pre-orders let people commit early and the app downloads automatically on release day. Without an audience, a pre-order adds little. Check Apple's current pre-order rules in App Store Connect Help before setting a date.

When should I start ads?

Usually after organic basics are in place: a product page that converts, some ratings, and measurement you trust. Many indie devs start a small brand and exact match test in the first month. Starting earlier is fine if you know your revenue per install, so you can set a target CPA you can afford.

Do I need a website for my app?

A simple one helps. You need a support URL and privacy policy for App Store Connect anyway, and a landing page gives your waitlist, press and social posts somewhere to point. It can also bring search traffic over time. Keep it short: what the app does, screenshots and a download link.